In a wild and thrilling duel between top-five flyweights, former title challenger Brandon Royval sent a vocal message to the powers that be that he is most deserving of the next shot at the belt.  Royval (17-7) rallied in Round 5 to stay off the ground amid the grappling threat of Tatsuro Taira to edge out the 24-year-old Japanese prospect via split decision in an epic styles contrast that saw both fighters take turns dominating the terms of the fight.

The UFC is back inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas for UFC on ESPN+ 102, headlined by Brandon Royval against Tatsuro Taira.

Everything you need to know about the main event of the UFC Vegas 98 fight card: Brandon Royval vs. Tatsuro Taira - Odds, career highlights, pick, prediction and more.